


Febuwhump Day 4 - Red Stains

by konan_konan



Series: Febuwhump 2020 [4]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Also YES I am going to get through all the febuwhump prompts, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Blood and Gore, Dreams, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everybody Lives, Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Not enough whump in this fandom, Presumed Dead, Steven Universe Whump, Whump, also the character death is in a dream! It's ok nobody dies, i guess?, it may take years at this rate but by god I'm gonna do it, let's make that a tag y'all!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 12:22:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24969655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/konan_konan/pseuds/konan_konan
Summary: Steven is recovering from corruption with Connie by his side.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran & Steven Universe, Steven Universe & Everyone
Series: Febuwhump 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1619686
Comments: 5
Kudos: 29





	Febuwhump Day 4 - Red Stains

It was hard to find a place to go afterwards. The wreckage covered much of the beach. The water still glowed with healing essence. They found a place, Steven didn't know where.

He didn't say much for the first few hours. He sat on the couch, still shrouded in just his blanket, pressed on all sides by family. He stared at the ceiling, eyes drooping, but he didn't sleep.

"You can rest, y'know," Connie said. He hummed, nuzzling his face into her chest. She sighed, and wrapped her arms around his back.

"I'm afraid to," he admitted. "I don't want everyone to see what's in my head. It's not good."

Connie glanced at Amethyst, who was already getting up to remove the TV. Pearl and Connie passed her their phones, sharing a look that neither would be able to describe later.

Steven watched her leave, taking away everything he could project onto. He curled his arms around Connie's back and held her as tightly as he could. Normally, he couldn't do that. He would hurt her. But his strength was gone, drained into the sea hours ago.

"Will you wake me up...?"

_...if I have a nightmare? _

"Of course," Connie said. She moved a hand up to his head, caressing his scalp. "I've got you, Steven."

He hummed again, and let his eyes drift shut.

He listened to the sound of his breathing, and her breathing. He felt her heartbeat beneath his face.

He slept.

* * *

He was on the beach. The water was still glowing pink, the tide looked like candy as it came and left the sands. He sat down, watching the ebb and flow.

The foam curled around his ankles, sticking to his skin like soap suds when he and Pearl washed the dishes.  _ Pearl is gone. _

He shook his head. Pearl was fine. She was at the temple with…

No, he could see the debris from the house scattered across the beach, drifting in the pink waters. The tide brought planks of wood to shore, and dragged them back into the sea.

Steven stood.

In the water was more than just debris.

He stepped back, gasping as his foot landed on something sharp.

A thick, jagged piece of glass sat on the sand, broken into small pieces. It was dark blue, and the way the light bounced off of it…

It wasn't glass at all

It wasn't glass  _ at all. _

Steven felt sick. He covered his mouth with both hands, staggering backwards into the water.

Something scraped against his shin. He didn't look to see whose gem it was, he had to find the rest of Sapphire's pieces so he could  _ fix her,  _ so he could  _ fix what he'd done- _

The water was still glowing pink. Mostly, anyway. Even in his panicked state he could see something was wrong.

Far in the distance, the water was darker. A large piece of debris bobbed up and down in the water, and from it the darkness spread, overtaking the pink.

Steven didn't want to get closer. He didn't want to see what was out there, because he  _ knew,  _ deep down, what it was.

Who it was.

Still he ventured out into the cold ocean, swimming until his arms were numb, until he was deep into the circle of red in the water.

She was still, more so than he'd ever seen her. Her skin was colder than the water she floated in. Her sword was still held tight in her hand.

He grabbed her, pulled her close, and wept. He kissed her forehead, her hand, her hair, he choked on sobs and wiped his tears on her skin.

The glow faded from the water, leaving it stained red.

He swam her back to shore. He laid her out on the sand and begged her to wake up. He pressed his hands down on her and they came back red and sticky and cold.

He curled up with her and sobbed.

_ Steven? _

_ Steven?! _

**_Steven!_ **

He gasped. He pulled away from her, hands shaking, he squeezed his eyes shut and-

"Steven, I need you to take a deep breath."

He obeyed, breathing in as deeply as he could before hiccupping and choking on another sob.

"Good, now let it out."

Again he did as he was told. He repeated the process, listening to her voice, feeling her hands on his shoulder, guiding and grounding him.

When he finally opened his eyes, he found just Connie in front of him. Living, breathing Connie, with no blood on her clothes and no death in her eyes.

"You had a bad dream," she said, "that's all. You're safe, Steven."

He shrunk into his blanket. She gave him a soft smile, eyebrows turned upward with concern.

"Are they okay?" he croaked. "The gems?"

"They're okay, Steven. They went to work on the house, so you'll have somewhere to sleep tonight."

He almost laughed. He wouldn't be sleeping that night, he thinks.

Connie pulls him into a tight embrace, and he lets her hold him. He doesn't go back to sleep, but he does rest. He thinks about what needs to happen next, and wonders if he'll ever be able to heal.

_ You've experienced trauma.  _ The words ring in his ears.  _ Trauma. _

He'll be okay. Someday.

Connie gives him a small kiss on the forehead. He leans into her hold, and she hums for him. 

She's safe. He's safe.

It's okay.

**Author's Note:**

> brain: noooo konan you can't write random febuwhump one-shots you have a wip that you were going to update a month ago!!
> 
> me: haha whump go bbbbbbbr


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